Promotion story ready for next chapter in National Two North

It has been the same narrative for a while this term. Either Macclesfield or Sedgley Park have topped the division and their promotion places have rarely been threatened. But, that has now changed.

Due to a number of postponements over the last few weeks, second placed Stourbridge and fifth placed Caldy are now only separated by just three points with Leicester Lions and Sedgley sandwiched in between.

On paper, when everyone has played the same amount of games again, Sedgley Park may well be back in second place but because it is so tight right now, the pressure to get results has increased.

Away from the top half, the Luctonians and Broadstreet are aiming to continue their revivals as they look to escape the drop while the Preston Grasshoppers look to maintain their excellent recent form.

Macclesfield v Luctonians

Macclesfield are currently on course for an immediate return to National One this season. The Blues were perhaps expected to be in an around the promotion mix this term after relegation last year and Giles Heagerty’s  side are currently top of the pile after 18 games this season.

Macc still have three games in hand but do top the table by 14 points as it currently stands. Heagerty insists that his side are not thinking about promotion despite them clearly being in the driving seat and a ninth home win of the season on Saturday will strengthen their position further.

Luctonians’ season is beginning to really take shape. The Herefordshire side struggled to find any form during the first half of the season, but since the turn of the year, the Lucts travel to Cheshire this weekend on the back of three wins in their last five games.

Those wins, coming against Chester, Leicester Lions and Otley leave the Luctonians 15^th in the table, but now just four points from safety. They are fully aware that every point is important at this stage of the season, but having not played for a week, will their momentum continue this weekend?

Stourbridge v Huddersfield

Stourbridge have enjoyed a good season this year, but the last few weeks have seen their promotion campaign take a turn for the worse. The Midlands outfit played Preston Grasshoppers three weeks ago and were firmly in the mix to push for the play-off place, but three straight defeats as really dented their chances.

Stour have played all 21 of their scheduled games this term and are second in the table, but they are only a point clear of Leicester Lions and Sedgley Park. Both teams have games in hand over Stourbridge so it is vital that they return to winning ways quickly if they are to stay in the hunt for that play-off place. They will no doubt see this game against Huddersfield as the place to start that quest.

Huddersfield may have finished in the top of the table last season after promotion from National Three, but its looking increasingly like that ‘Field will suffer relegation back down to the fifth tier of English rugby this term. They currently sit bottom of the table, nine points away from South Leicester in 13^th.

Although they have lost their last five games, the Yorkshire side have picked up three losing bonus points which shows they are still fighting for their National Two North status. Just one away win from 10 matches doesn’t bode well for this weekend, but this could be the perfect time to play Stourbridge.

Sedgley Park v Leicester Lions

Sedgley Park are struggling to keep themselves in the title race this season, but that isn’t their own fault. The Tigers have played just once in the last four weeks due to postponements meaning they  now have four games in hand over the rest of the frontrunners. Currently, they find themselves in fourth place, 15 points behind leaders Macclesfield.

Sedge have played 17 matches to Macc’s 18 so even if both teams were to pick up maximum points from their games in hand, Sedgley would still be 10 points behind the leaders. Away from the fixture congestion, Dean Scofield’s men have only won three of their last five games which has seen them suffer a setback in the title battle, but a 13^th win of the season on Saturday, will be the perfect way for Sedge to find their rhythm once again.

That won’t be easy though because Leicester Lions are having a surprisingly solid season this term. The Midlands club finished 12^th last year, but currently they lie third in the table after 13 wins this campaign and are only a point behind second placed Stourbridge.

In truth, their home form has been the reason why the Lions are towards the summit of this division. 10 of those 13 victories have come at Westleigh Park so if they are serious about mounting a promotion challenge, their away form must be spot on in their remaining six matches on the road. It will be difficult for them this weekend against Sedge who have won seven times at Park Lane this term, but if Leicester were to pull off a victory, their promotion challenge becomes much more serious.

Caldy v Otley

Caldy seem to be in the race for a play-off place, but every time they seem to get close, their results have let them down. The club have had two chances to move into second spot in the table since the beginning of 2016 and have both times failed to jump that hurdle; against Stourbridge at home at the start of January and last weekend against Tynedale at Kingston Park.

All of this leaves Caldy three points off second place, which isn’t a lot, but it could well have been theirs to hold on to if they have picked up victories in those two matches. The positive for Caldy is that they do have a game in hand over Stourbridge but they need to pick themselves up and dust themselves down after last weekend’s minor setback.

Otley are doing their upmost to move up the division, but inconsistency has being a thorn in their side. The men from Cross Green sit 10 points behind Caldy going into their clash on Saturday and it looks likely that it will be another mid-table finish for the Yorkshire outfit after 10 wins from their 19 games so far.

Following a shaky run during December, Otley have won three of their last five games; all of which came at home. This match is perhaps the most important for them in the season as it will give them an idea of where they could finish this term.

Sale FC v Sandal

Sale FC are once again at home this weekend after their triumph over Otley last Saturday, but there’s a feeling that this Sale side are capable of beating anyone at Heywood Road this season. They have won seven matches this campaign; six of which have come on home soil with their only away victory coming against this weekend’s opponents, Sandal.

So with this in mind, Sale may well be feeling quietly confident heading in Saturday despite being eight points clear of the drop zone. They do have a game in hand over Broadstreet who sit in the final relegation spot, but another home success will ease their nerves once again.

I think it is fair to say Sandal are enjoying a fine campaign in National Two North since winning the National Three North play-off in May. Although the Yorkshire club have managed just one win in their last six games, they do sit seventh in the table and a comfortable 16 points clear of the bottom three.

They look safe for another season in English rugby’s fourth tier, but they must stop this poor run of form. It has seen them slide away from the top four and into mid-table and they hope that this decline will halt soon.  Sandal lost at Heywood Road last season which ended their title chances so they will be looking for revenge as well as a welcome victory on Saturday.

Chester v Harrogate

Chester have found it difficult this term to compete as well as they did last campaign in National Two North. They may have been anticipating a similar sort of season following their fifth placed finish, but the Cheshire side have struggled for consistency and find themselves in a midtable position at this stage.

The form of players like Rhys Hayes and others has certainly not been in short supply for the men from Hare Lane, but they have just found it tough to string positive results together so they will be hoping to turn that form around quickly. If they can, then a top-half finish is very much on the cards.

Harrogate’s early season aspirations have subsided over the last few months. After a strong fourth place finish last term, a potential push for a play-off place was a goal for the Yorkshire club, but like Chester, their form has been so inconsistent which is why they sit ninth in the table.

‘Gate are only a point off Chester and I think they have enough quality to finish in the top half, but nine wins and nine defeats tells you all you need to know about their campaign. They have picked up two victories from their last five games, so a win here might be the catalyst Harrogate need in the final stretch of this campaign.

Preston Grasshoppers v Tynedale

Preston Grasshoppers are in decent form in National Two South at the moment. Garth Dew must be delighted with the way his side have played over the last four months given that they have lost just one of their last nine games.

This spell of solid form has taken the Hoppers up to 10^th in the table and they are now 13 points clear of Broadstreet in the final relegation spot. Preston come into this fixture with Tynedale having won five games at Lightfoot Green this season.

Tynedale’s season has not been short of talking points so far. Despite relegation from National One last season and automatically been tipped as one of the favourites to be in the promotion mix, Tyne currently sit 11^th in the table and have struggled for consistency all term.

That said, off the field problems have been the major concern for Tynedale. The floods that hit the north-east in December ruined the Tyne’s pitches and clubhouse meaning they are currently in a clean-up operation. On a more positive note for Tyne, they have seen an upturn in performances recently.

Wins against Caldy, Sale and Huddersfield along with a spirited performance against league leaders Macclesfield has seen them move 11 points clear of the danger zone. They will be looking to continue their good form with new Head of Rugby Scott Lawson in charge, this weekend.

Broadstreet v South Leicester

Broadstreet are fighting bravely against relegation in their second season in the fourth tier. They finished in a very respectable eighth place last campaign, but currently they occupy 14^th and are just four points from safety after six wins from a possible 20 matches this term.

Wins against Sale FC and Stourbridge has given them the platform to mount a survival challenge and after their home triumph last Saturday, they will be hoping for a repeat this weekend against one of their relegation rivals; South Leicester.

South Leicester are hoping to end their bad run of form this weekend. South have not played for a week, but have won just two of their last nine games and as thing stand, they sit one place above Broadstreet in the table in that final safety spot.

Recent form from the Midlands champions has not been great either. South have lost their last three games, falling to defeats against Macclesfield, Chester and Caldy. Granted, they are all sides in the top half of the division, so this weekend will be a test of whether South can get the results when it matters most.